Long Island

Fall has arrived and it's time to get yourself some pumpkins! Check out our posts on the best pumpkin picking and apple picking in the area if you want to head out of town. Or, you can stock up on pumpkins and fall fun right here in NYC with the top picks of this weekend's local pumpkin events. Plus, did you know that there are lots of free kids cooking classes available this weekend? Keep reading for the full scoop... Read more »

Fall brings lots of things with it: cool mornings and chilly nights, great colors and foliage, plenty of Holidays, and, it's a great time of year for getting out of the city to enjoy the crisp Fall air. So we're giving you a couple more reasons to hop on the LIE for some Fall Festivals worth a day trip this Columbus Day Weekend.

For more fall day trip ideas and Long Island fun check out our New York Halloween Guide. Read more »

Halloween is going commercial. It seems like every place I go and everyone I know is offering a Halloween version of what they do. The museums, the parks, the playspaces: everyone is doing Halloween events right now. With more options than ever before, I set out to find some of the coolest and most unique Halloween activities on Long Island that would be worth a trip from the city or beyond. Some of these sell out so order your tickets soon: Read more »

Jeremy's "baby pumpkin", originally uploaded by cassandracox.

Summer weather is hanging around, but I'm still anticipating the coming Fall weather and Halloween. Soon it will be time to hop in the Zipcar and head out of the city for some pumpkin picking and Fall Farm Festivals. Here’s a list of some of the best pumpkin picking and Fall farms on Long Island with soe special reasons that it will be worth a trip. Read more »

In my post about the farms you can visit in Westchester, I mentioned that it is easy to get to Philipsburg Manor and Stone Barn Farms without a car, using public transportation. I thought it would be cool to write about some of the other day tips you can take from NYC using public transportation. There's really no reason to be stuck in the city just because you're carless (or want to save your gas money on, say, the down payment on an apartment). There are plenty of fun family day trips that can be easily accessed using Metro-North trains or busses.

The MTA actually has an entire section of their website dedicated to what they so romantically dub MTA Getaways . You've probably seen this advertised in the subway, but I know I never really looked into it before. Many of the trips you could do any time, but the MTA has also worked with local tours and groups to create specific event packages.

Dutchess County Fair
For instance, this weekend you could take Metro North up to the Dutchess County Fair and buy a discounted ticket that includes your train ticket and admission to the fair. The package costs about $30 per adult (children get in free to the fair and are only $1.50 RT on the train). I figure this out at about a $7 discount. Keep in mind that once you take Metro North to Poughkeepsie you have to take a one hour connecting bus ride to the fair grounds for a total travel time of almost 3 hours, so I don't know if I would recommend this unless you did it as an overnighter.

But here are some other ones that are definitely worth a try: Read more »

For many, Long Island conjures up images of beaches, malls and traffic and not much else.  But, Long Island is filled with hidden gems that have nothing to do with shopping or the sea (unfortunately traffic is always possible). Once a farming community, you can still find a lot of family farms throughout the Island and these days many have added pick-your-own fields, petting zoos, gourmet fresh markets, garden centers and kid activities. Each farm maintains its personal flavor, here are a few that are really worth the drive.

If you are looking to sink your hands into the soil or spend a day gorging on fruit, head to one of Long Islands many pick-your-own farms Read more »

Are you raising a city kid who thinks that milk comes in a carton and apples are from the bodega?  On second thought, we all know New York City kids are way too precocious for that but I would bet that most of your kids feel more comfortable on a subway than they do on a farm.  And, even though they "know" where milk comes from, have they ever actually milked a cow?  

If you are looking for a way to get your kids to connect more to the food on their plate, try taking them to one of New York State's county fairs.  County fairs are filled with animals, award winning vegetables and lots of farm demonstrations. With county fairs every day of the week throughout New York State for all of July and August if you are planning on heading out of the city you should check these listings to see if you can bring Old Macdonald to life for your little one. Read more »

Photo of Caumsette State Park by sparkylu25

One of the great things about NYC is that it's possible to have the best of both worlds. You can be in the middle of one of the greatest cities on the planet and in minutes find yourself on a beautiful rocky beach or thick in the woods on a nature trail. Check out these little known North Shore Long Island Parks that are perfect for a day trip with your family.

Caumsett State Park
Tucked away on the North Shore of Long Island, this place is a best kept secret. Originally owned by Marshall Field (as in the department store), the 1750 acre park was once his estate, complete with multiple homes, dairy barn, and horse stables. Today the park offers peace, serenity, and the best walking, biking or running trails on Long Island, not to mention open fields where the kids can stretch their legs after the ride up there, and spectacular serene beaches which feel completely private, even during the Summer. Read more »

You read our post about free outdoor movie series this summer, but there are also some regular indoor movies in theaters that kids can see for free or for just $1. Read more »

The great thing about New York City's outdoor festivals is that everyone can enjoy them. If it's kids music, at least the grown ups can enjoy being outdoors on a lovely day or evening, relaxing. And, generally kids will put up with an outdoor concert or performance if they can run around, dance, play and picnic while you enjoy a little grown up entertainment for once.

The following (mostly) free outdoor festivals are not specifically children's festivals, but they, for the most part, each have at least one kids performance and otherwise offer great performances in great outdoor environments around NYC, making a fun day or evening out with the kids either way. Read more »